Homelink hardwire help

[acao]

I've purchased a Homelink transmitter, intending to connect it to the cigarette lighter for power and to a 996 targa top switch to operate my gate and garage door. The cigarette power connector is always hot.

A picture of the business end of the Homelink switch is attached. My electrical aptitude, on a scale of 1 to 10, is "Amish", so I want to run some things by other experts.

1. The Homelink device has obvious + and - power connectors (not shown), so I guess I'm supposed to solder wires to those connectors and tap into the corresponding wires on the cigarette connector.

2. The conductor running across the bottom of each switch in the picture is negative? So, I only need one solder to any negative point and connect the other end to the negative on the dash switch (center single prong on the switch).

3. The conductors running across to each switch individually must be positive? So I need to solder a wire to a positive on the Homelink button and connect to one of the dual center prongs on the dash switch? Repeat for each door? Each switch has two vertical center prongs, so each side of the rocker will operate a separate door?

4. I need to tap in the switch illumination to another illuminated switch?

5. Any tips on soldering in the vicinity of this ribbon connectors?

I've checked out Loren's post and his Homelink doesn't look much like mine. Nonetheless, I think the concept is captured. I've also checked itzkrib's post, and some of it is inapposite because of the hotwire vs. battery. Thanks.

[C4 Pazzo]

acao,

I recently did this install with what looks to be the same type of Homelink you are using. Regarding your questions:

1. I tapped into the handsfree cell phone adaptor under the front consol. The brown wire is ground. The wire second from the opposite end is switched power. You can use that if you don't want the homelink to work without the key in the ignition switched on. Otherwise, use the always on power at the opposite end (I used the switched one).

2 and 3. I don't remember off the top of my head which conductors are which, but I actually did the opposite of what you suggest. That is, I connected the positive conductor to the center switch position (I used a window switch; I don't know if the targa switch is wired the same). I then connected a negative from each of two of the homelink switch positions to the corresponding left and right position of the window switch. I'll try to take some pictures to show this.

4. I put the window switches (I actually used two postions from each of two homelinks) in the "batwing" next to the heated seat switches and tapped off of them for the lighting. Again, I'll try to take some pictures to show this.

5. For the soldering, I took off the rubber Homelink button covers and soldered on the opposite side from that shown in your pictures. It was a PITA, but I am not a soldering expert.

[C4 Pazzo]

Here are some pics. I apologize for the poor quality, but hopefully they'll help.

Overview Pic -- Two window switches in Targa Batwing 4 position switch plate (to control 4 doors). Dimming light tapped off of heated seat. Homelink under consol in background. Power tapped off of cell adapter.

One of window switches on left, heated seat switch on right. Blue wire connects Brown center postion wire from heated seat to Outside Raised side of window switch. Red wire connects Grey/Blue/Red dot wire from outside heated switch to Outside depressed portion of window switch.

Power tap. Green ground wire connected to Brown ground wire of cell adapter. Yellow wire to Green/Black switched power of cell adapter. Note that Green/Red on end opposite the Brown ground wire of cell adapter is always on power, if you prefer that.

Worst pic of all. Buttons for Homelink. Black button at left still has rubber covering; this one is not used. At far right, very blurry, is the indicator LED. Center button, red wire at bottom is connected to the single center position of the window switch. Red wire is soldered to lower right corner connection point of center Homelink button. Green wire veering to the left is connected to one of the two parallel center positions of the window switch (don't be mislead by Green wire heading to the top center background of pic; that is the grounding wire for the Homelink power supply that connects to the cell adapter). The other Green wire is soldered to the upper right connection point of center Homelink button. Black wire connects to the other parallel center position of window switch. It is soldered to upper right connection point of the right-most Homelink button.

[acao]

Thanks. I'm not very visual, so I'm going to have to translate that into a table for my understanding.